# Flying Hovercrafts Rudy Heeman Builds World's First Airborne Boat By Going Like Sixty | Published 2007-10-24 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/getting-high-on-water References: [bornrich.org](http://www.bornrich.org/entry/flying-boat-who-need-wings/) Parasailing, wings mounted on skier’s backs and flying tubes have all aimed to get water crafts to lift off the water’s surface. New Zealand inventor Rudy Heeman has built, and personally flown, the first airborne hovercraft. No license needed. Life insurance? Maybe. It flies best about four feet off the water and can reach speeds of 60 mph. The design and testing will be complete in a matter of weeks, with production soon to follow. Stay tuned for updates! ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.1/10 - Popularity: 79% | Activity: 97% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Sports](https://www.trendhunter.com/sports) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Personal Airborne Crafts:** Developing personal airborne crafts that can travel over water could disrupt the transportation and recreational industries. - **Hybrid Water-air Vehicles:** Exploring hybrid vehicles that can function both as boats and aircrafts opens up opportunities for innovative transportation solutions. - **Innovative Watercraft Designs:** Experimenting with unique watercraft designs like airborne hovercrafts can lead to disruptive advancements in maritime technology. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Transportation:** The transportation industry could be revolutionized by the introduction of personal airborne crafts that combine water and air travel. - **Recreation:** The recreational industry can benefit from the development of hybrid water-air vehicles that offer thrilling experiences for outdoor enthusiasts. - **Maritime Technology:** Innovative watercraft designs, such as airborne hovercrafts, hold the potential to disrupt the maritime technology industry with improved capabilities and versatility. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Luxury Electric Hovercrafts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/arosa-hovercraft.md) - [Public Hovercraft Transport Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rapid-transit-hovercraft.md) - [Aircraft-Like Hydrofoil Bikes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hydrofoiler-sl3.md) - [Electric Hydrofoil Jet Skis](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/valo-hyperfoil.md) - [Electric Performance Surfboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/electric-hydrofoil-board.md) - [Affordable Inflatable Hydrofoil Boards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fliteboard-flite-air.md) - [Balanced Hydrofoil Watercraft](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/neocean-overboat-100f.md) - [Easy-to-Ride Hydrofoil Boards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/awake-vinga-3.md) - [Electric Bike-Like Watercraft](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/envo-hydra-waterbike.md)